Mike Bunch and John Brandeberry square off in IAL action
When Mike and Mark Bunch came in to town to play some Illowa APBA League games, I had big plans. In the two 9-game series, I intended to build on our 20-10 weekend we had last month and make our case for the playoffs. Instead, I think our team just fell down and died.
But don’t blame starter Jon Niese…
How did Niese do? In three starts and 26 innings, he allowed just 9 hits and 2 runs. For his effort, he collected a 1-1 record for the day. That included losing a complete game two-hitter 1-0 against Mark’s Moline Upperdeckers. It wasn’t until the last game of the day when we managed to score 11 runs that Jon could get the win.
Between Mike’s Green Rock Bombers’ timely hitting (he came back to win in six of his seven wins) and Mark’s Upperdeckers’ formidable pitching led by Verlander and Kershaw, we just couldn’t get it going. How bad did it get? Two games after Niese’s two-hit loss, our starter Jeremy Hellickson lost a four hitter 1-0. The very next game, Joe Kelly pitched his heart out in a rare start. He went 11 innings with a 1-1 tie, giving up just three hits only to have Jonathon Papelbon give up three runs in the 13th to lose it.
Ah yes, Jonathon Papelbon, the reliever who saved 13 games in a span of 30 games… he has gone back to his old ways. Yesterday, he gave up six runs in seven appearances and 7 2/3 innings. Some of those appearances were pretty dang short. Just ask those who hit walk off homers against him. Three blown saves in five opportunities.
After going 5-13 for the day, our record now stands at 69-75 with two more 9-game series left in the season. Unless we pull off a miracle we’re planning on watching from the sidelines during the postseason. Seriously, though, congrats though to both Bunches who really pulled it off! Mark is in first place and will make the playoffs with no problem. With some luck, now maybe Mike will too.
Thanks also to Brando for hosting! He was such a good host, he gave Mike three boxes of APBA cards and me a box of old APBA Journals! Wow!
Only an IILLOWA League manager would consider APBA cards & APBA Journals to be a more generous gift than a television. I understand Brando gave Mike a television as well.
Bunch Success Weekend continued on Sunday. Fortunately for me, I played only Marcus. 2-7.
DonS.